The present invention relates to vises for holding workpieces, and more particularly, to a vise having adjustable jaw inserts for holding workpieces of varying dimensions.
Prior vise designs include replaceable jaws for accommodating different types of workpieces. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,062,772 and 4,437,654 both describe a replaceable vise jaw for accommodating a particular application, including the size and material of a particular workpiece. The vise described by U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,066 includes jaws releasably attached via dovetails formed on the vise for accommodating a particular workpiece for a vertical milling machine. Further, the vise of U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,782 includes accessory jaws for expanding the range of the vise.
In each of these vises, the replacement of the jaws themselves, or attachment of a supplemental jaw to the jaws of the vise, is considered to be a cumbersome method for accommodating a particular workpiece.
The vise of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages associated with prior art vises by providing a simple adjustment apparatus for accommodating a workpiece without replacement of the vise jaws themselves.